31 Short Communications

POST-BREEDING DISPERSAL OF NORTHERN GIANT PETRELS MACRONECTES HALLI FROM MARION TO BOUVET ISLANDS

D.G. KEITH1, B.I.B. HARCK1, P.G. RYAN1 & F. MEHLUM2

1Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa ([email protected]) 2Norwegian Polar Institute, PO Box 5072 Majorstua, N-0310 Oslo, Norway

Received 27 June 2001, accepted 7 January 2002

Bouvet Island or Bouvetøya (54°25'S, 3°21'E) is the most isolated adult male movement to South Africa (Gartshore et al. 1988). island in the world. Nyrøysa is a rocky platform on the west coast Including a banded Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus seen at of Bouvetøya, formed by a landslide sometime between 1955 and Nyrøysa in February 1999 when the band number was not re- 1958 (Prestvik & Winsnes 1981). Approximately five Northern corded (Isaksen et al. 2000), these are the only records from Giant Petrels were observed at Nyrøysa during the 2000/01 aus- Bouvet of of any banded elsewhere. tral summer. Two of these were colour-banded, seen feeding on dead Antarctic Fur Seal Arctocephalus gazella pups. The first, a male (SAFRING No. 9-73306 and orange alphanumeric plastic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS band 09A), seen on 16 February, was banded as a chick on Marion Island on 29 January 1991. It bred there in 2000/01 and was last We thank the Norwegian Polar Institute, Alfred Wegener Institute, seen incubating on 29 August 2000. This breeding attempt had crew and pilots of the Polarstern and Lance, SAFRING, John failed by 12 September 2000, and the was not recorded at Cooper, Deon Nel, Greg Hofmeyr, Marthan Bester, Chris Tobler Marion again that season (D.C. Nel pers. comm.). This bird had and Lionel Mansfield for help and support. been previously recorded at Bouvet Island on 2 February 1999 (Isaksen et al. 2000). It had bred at Marion Island in 1998/99 and was last seen at its the breeding site that season with a large chick REFERENCES on 12 January 1999 (Isaksen et al. 2000). COOPER, J., BROOKE, M. de L., BURGER, A.E., CRAW- The second banded Northern Giant Petrel was recorded at Nyrøysa FORD, R.J.M., HUNTER, S. & WILLIAMS, A.J. 2001. on 21 February 2001. This bird, a male (SAFRING No. 9-59291, Aspects of the breeding biology of the Northern Giant Petrel previously 9-52523 and black alphanumeric plastic band 323) was (Macronectes halli) and the Southern Giant Petrel (M. banded as a breeding male on 3 November 1984 on Marion Island, giganteus) at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. International Jour- and last reported breeding on 16 September 1991 (D.C. Nel pers. nal of Ornithology 4: 53–68. comm.). Its breeding site on the west coast of Marion Island means GARTSHORE, N.A., COOPER, J. & HUNTER, S. 1988. Bird that the round-island breeding census (Cooper et al. 2001) can ringing at Marion and Prince Edward Islands, 1982–1987; with easily miss one of the breeding partners. It is therefore possible an analysis of movements since 1951. South African Journal that this bird bred in 2000/01 (D.C. Nel pers. comm.). of Antarctic Research 18: 23–29. ISAKSEN, K., HUYSER, O., KIRKMAN, S., WANLESS, R. & These records suggest a regular post-breeding dispersal of male WILSON, W. 2000. Studies of and seals on Northern Giant Petrels from Marion Island to Bouvet Island. Ear- Bouvetøya 1998/99. Norsk Polarinstitutt Internrapport 2. lier recoveries and recaptures of Northern Giant Petrels banded at Tromsø: Norsk Polarinstitutt. Marion Island indicate dispersal of fledglings to waters close to PRESTVIK, T. & WINSNES, T.S. 1981. Geology of Bouvetøya. the New Zealand mainland and Tasmania, Australia, as well as an Norsk Polarinstitutt Skrifter 175: 41–69.

Marine Ornithology 30: 31 (2002) 32

AT-SEA RECORDS OF THREE RARELY REPORTED PETREL SPECIES IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN ATLANTIC

SANTIAGO IMBERTI

Rivadavia 780, 9400 Río Gallegos, Argentina ([email protected])

Received 19 February 2001, accepted 7 January 2002

During the austral summer of 1999/2000 I observed birds at sea position at the time when the bird actually reached the ship and between Ushuaia, Argentina and the Antarctic Peninsula on four the coordinates that were taken the next morning, but as the ship’s occasions, visiting several sub-Antarctic islands and also cover- course was direct from the Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Horn, the ing the –Buenos Aires transect aboard the R.V. diving petrel had wandered about 1500 km from its closest known Akademik Shuleykin and R.V. Akademik Ioffe. I report here on breeding grounds at South Georgia. Other diving petrels are observations of three rarely recorded species. capable of a similar dispersion as confirmed by the record of Magellanic Diving Petrel P. magellani in the Drake Passage (Blendinger 1998) and the sighting of several unidentified diving SPECIES OBSERVED petrels on 8 March 2000 between 59°42'S, 59°42'W and 59°32'S, 59°41'W (pers. obs.). Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata The Georgian Diving Petrel is almost impossible to identify at sea, I observed this species three times. The first observation took given its close similarity to the Common Diving Petrel P. urinatrix place on 13 March 2000, 15h00 local time, at 46°14'S, 59°11'W. (Harrison 1985, Enticott & Tipling 1998). The known range of the At 18h40 the same day, a different bird, based on markings, was Georgian Diving Petrel is confined to the sub-Antarctic zone seen at 45°28'S, 58°54'W. The third record is of two birds on 14 where it breeds at a number of islands. It is probably sedentary and March 2000, at 41°44'S, 57°36'W. This last record was made spreads only into seas surrounding the breeding sites, although close to the edge of Argentine territorial waters, and I presume the some members of colonies seem to wander farther away (Harrison petrel extends its range into this zone and will prove to be a new 1985, Carboneras 1992, Enticott & Tipling 1998). addition to the Argentinean avifauna. Many other birds breeding in the Tristan da Cunha Group (for examples see Dabbene 1921, Leach’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa 1922, 1923), show the same pattern. On 14 March 2000 at 40°20'S, 57°07'W, a mixed flock of about The pelagic distribution of the Spectacled Petrel outside its breed- 20 storm petrels was flushed from the water, providing good views ing grounds at Inaccessible Island is becoming better known and for several minutes. Two Leach’s Storm Petrels were identified has been estimated to cover an area extending from the coasts of among the majority of Wilson’s Storm Petrels Oceanites to South Africa between 25°S and 41°S (Enticott oceanicus that formed the group. The Leach Storm Petrels looked & O’Connell 1985, Olmos 1997, Ryan 1999, Camphuysen & Van larger and somewhat browner than the Wilson Storm Petrels, Deer Meer 2000). The last authors also suggest there is a non- showing a characteristic white band on the upper wings, with breeding population over deep oceanic waters, far from their longer and more slender wings bent at the carpal joint. The flight breeding grounds, that the records presented here seem to confirm. involved less flapping than Wilson’s, gliding most of the time, The petrel seems to be associated with warmer waters north of the with the wings held below the body. Looking down on the birds Sub-tropical Convergence, although a few wander farther south I could see the white rump divided by a greyish central line (Rumboll & Jehl 1977). There are also some records made by towards the forked tail. Gould in the 19th century who stated that he saw spectacled birds in considerable numbers near the Falkland Islands, suggesting a This species occurs mainly in the North Pacific and Atlantic wider range (Rowan et al. 1951). However, there have been no but it has also been rarely reported in the Southern Ocean subsequent records from latitudes south of 41°S. (Biermann & Vous 1950, Veit et al. 1996, Arballo & Cravino 1999) as far south as the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica Georgian Diving Petrel Pelecanoides georgicus (Hahn & Quillfeldt 1998) as well as breeding off the coast of South Africa (Whittington et al. 1999). Although it is common One bird was found freshly dead aboard the vessel on 16 January and often observed over the Equatorial Counter-current (Harris & 2000 when our position was halfway from the Antarctic Peninsula Hansen 1974, Bourne & Curtis 1984) it has not been previously to the Cape Horn area, at 58°09'S, 61°08'W. The bird was identi- reported by most authors working off South America (Cooke & fied using Harrison’s (1985) sketches of the bills of the different Mills 1972, Jehl 1974, Rumboll & Jehl 1977, Jehl et al. 1979, Veit diving petrels. Unfortunately, the specimen could not be preserved 1995, Orgeira 1997). but was photographed. There is of course a difference between the

Marine Ornithology 30: 32–33 (2002) Imberti: Three rarely reported petrel species in the south-western 33

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS book of the seabirds of the world. London: New Holland Pub- lishers. Thanks are due to Juan Mazar Barnett for providing good advice HAHN, S. & QUILLFELDT, P. 1998. First record of a Leach’s on references and how to improve the text, to Mark Pearman for Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa for King George Island, some references and useful comments on the manuscript and to South Shetlands, Antarctica. Marine Ornithology 26: 80. Eugenio Coconier for the literature searches. John Cooper and two HARRIS, M.P. & HANSEN, L. 1974. Sea-bird transects between reviewers provided useful references and comments. and Rio Plate, South America, in autumn 1973. Dansk Ornitologisk Forenings Tidsskrift 68: 117–137. HARRISON, P. 1985. Seabirds. An identification guide. Boston: REFERENCES Houghton Mifflin. JEHL, J.R. Jr 1974. The distribution and ecology of marine birds ARBALLO, E. & CRAVINO, J. 1999. Aves del Uruguay. Manual over the continental shelf of Argentina in winter. San Diego So- Ornitológico, Tomo I. Struthioniformes a Gruiformes. Ed. ciety of Natural History Transactions 17: 217–234. Hemisferio Sur. pp. 230 & 240. JEHL, J.R. Jr, TODD, F.S., RUMBOLL, A.E. & SCHWARTZ, D. BIERMAN, W.H. & VOOUS, K.H.1950. Birds observed and 1979. Pelagic birds in the South Atlantic Ocean and at South collected during the whaling expeditions of the “Willem Georgia in the austral autumn. Le Gerfaut 69: 13–27. Barendsz” in the Antarctic 1946–47 and 1947–48. Ardea 37 OLMOS, F. 1997. Seabirds attending bottom longline fishing off Suppl.: 1–123. southwestern Brazil. Ibis 139: 685–691. BLENDINGER, P.G. 1998. Registros de aves poco frecuentes en ORGEIRA, J.L. 1997. Programa de censos en el mar de aves Argentina y sector Antartida Argentina. Nuestras Aves 38: 5–8. antárticas y subantárticas: resultados del período 1987–1995. BOURNE, W.R.P. & CURTIS, W.F. 1984. South Atlantic El Hornero 14: 184–192. Seabirds. Sea Swallow 34: 18–28. ROWAN, A.N., ELLIOTT, H.F.I & ROWAN, M.K. 1951. Spec- CAMPHUYSEN, C.J. & VAN DEER MEER, J. 2000. Notes on tacled form of the Shoemaker in the Tristan Group. Ibis 93: the distribution of the Spectacled Petrel Procellaria 169–79. conspicillata in the South Atlantic. Atlantic Seabirds 2: 13–18. RUMBOLL, M.A.E. & JEHL, J.R. Jr 1977. Observations on CARBONERAS, C. 1992. Family Pelecanoididae (diving- pelagic birds in the South Atlantic Ocean in the austral spring. petrels). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. (Eds). Hand- San Diego Society of Natural History Transactions 19: 1–16. book of the birds of the world, Vol. 1. Ostrich to ducks. Bar- RYAN, P.G. 1998. The taxonomic and conservation status of celona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 272–276. Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata. Bird Conservation COOKE, F. & MILLS, E.L. 1972. Summer distribution of pelagic International 8: 223–235. birds off the coast of Argentina. Ibis 114: 245–251. RYAN, P.G. 1999. Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata, DABBENE, R. 1921. Los petreles y los albatros del Atlántico Red Data Bird. World Birdwatch 21(1): 24–25. austral (pts 1–2). El Hornero 2: 157–179. VEIT, R.R. 1995. Pelagic communities of seabirds in the South DABBENE, R. 1922. Los petreles y los albatros del Atlántico Atlantic Ocean. Ibis 137: 1–10. austral (pt. 3). El Hornero 2: 241–254. VEIT, R.R., WHITEHOUSE, M.J. & PRINCE, P.A. 1996. Sight- DABBENE, R. 1923. Los petreles y los albatros del Atlántico ing of a Leach’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa near the austral (pts 4–5). El Hornero 3: 1–33, 127–158. Antarctic Polar Front. Marine Ornithology 24: 41–42. ENTICOTT, J.W. & O’CONNELL, M.O. 1985. The distribution WHITTINGTON, P.A., DYER, B.M., CRAWFORD, R.J.M. & of the spectacled form of the White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria WILLIAMS, A.J. 1999. First recorded breeding of Leach’s aequinoctialis conspicillata) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa in the Southern Hemi- British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 66: 83–86. sphere, at Dyer Island, South Africa. Ibis 141: 327–330. ENTICOTT, J.[W.] & TIPLING, D. 1998. Photographic hand-

Marine Ornithology 30: 32–33 (2002) 34

EVIDENCE FOR ROCK SHAGS MAGELLANICUS AND IMPERIAL P. ATRICEPS LEAVING THEIR NESTS AT NIGHT

A. SAPOZNIKOW1 & F. QUINTANA1,2

1Centro Nacional Patagónico -Conicet- (9120), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina ([email protected]) 2Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York, New York 10460, USA

Received 17 July 2001, accepted 8 March 2002

Imperial Cormorants Phalacrocorax atriceps and Rock Shags P. Rock Shags left their nests at night for periods ranging from 0.4 magellanicus are foot-propelled pursuit divers usually described to 1.33 h (mean 0.7±0.3 h, n = 7) whereas Imperial Cormorants’ as visual feeders (Johnsgard 1993). Previous studies describing nocturnal absences lasted 0.85 to 8.6 h (mean = 4.7±3.9, n = 3) Imperial and feeding behaviour show that (Table 1). Ninety percent of the nocturnal absences were within birds forage from dawn to dusk (Croxall et al. 1991, Quintana the range of diurnal foraging trips recorded for Rock Shags (mean 1999, 2001). Studies showing evidence for nocturnal foraging are = 1.8±1.2 h, range = 0.33–8.16 h, n = 198) and Imperial Cormo- not common. As part of a broader study of the foraging ecology rants (mean = 4.3±2.4 h, range = 2.25–9.92 h, n = 58) in the area of cormorants at Caleta Malaspina (45°11'S, 66°30'W), Bahía (A. Sapoznikow & F. Quintana unpubl. data). Bustamante, Chubut, Argentina we recorded the nest attendance of 24 adult Rock Shags and nine Imperial Cormorants equipped Unfortunately, the islands were not easy to gain access to and we with VHF radio transmitters (Standard model, Advanced Telem- were unable to record independent evidence of birds actually for- etry Systems, Betel, MN) during 1998 and 1999 (see details in aging at night. However, seven of ten registered absences occurred Quintana 1999). Both species of cormorants nest together on two during a half moon or a nearly full moon, suggesting the existence rocky islands (0.3 and 6 ha) on flat areas, with no surrounding of suitable light conditions for night-time foraging. Recent mea- vegetation and close to the water (0–15 m). Nest/colony attend- surements of foraging illumination conditions for European Shags ance was automatically registered every ten minutes by a data P. aristotelis and Imperial Cormorants showed that minimum light logger (DCCII model, ATS, Inc.) connected to a scanning receiver requirements are equivalent to the light levels at ground level pro- (R2000 model, ATS, Inc). The equipment was located 2–5 m from duced by a half moon and a full moon under clear skies, respec- the nests of the studied birds. We were able to record any tively (Wanless et al. 1999). Other species such as King Penguins instrumented bird within a radius of 20 m, which represented the Aptenodytes patagonicus are able to feed under much lower light maximum distance between the equipment and the water’s edge. conditions (Martin 1999). Our studies in the area suggest that these Trip duration was calculated as the time difference between de- birds are feeding at depths ranging from 4 to 20 m (F. Quintana parture from and arrival at the nest. unpubl. data). Because light levels diminish with depth, the ques- tion is to what extent do visual cues play a role in detecting prey We recorded only three (12.5%) Rock Shags (one in 1998 and two at greater depths. According to depth distribution of prey it seems in 1999) and three (33%) Imperial Cormorants (one in 1998 and reasonable to suggest that cormorants may locate prey by touch two in 1999) leaving the colony at night. These absences repre- (Voslamber et al. 1995). This technique could be successful when sented 6 to 25% of the number of trips recorded for each bird. prey are relatively immobile. In fact, Rock Shags and Imperial

TABLE 1

Summary statistics of nocturnal absences from the colony by Rock Shags and Imperial Cormorants

Species Bird Absence Number of recorded Total recorded % of the moon duration (h) nocturnal absences trips illuminated

Imperial Cormorant 1 8.67 1 7 35 Imperial Cormorant 2 4.50 1 16 98 Imperial Cormorant 3 0.83 1 4 100 Rock Shag 4 0.51 2 20 5/5 Rock Shag 5 0.75 1 14 63 Rock Shag 6 0.832 4 16 63/73/73/82

1 & 2 Means calculated from the total nocturnal absences performed by the bird (sd: 0.0 and 0.4 for birds 4 and 6, respectively).

Marine Ornithology 30: 34–35 (2002) Sapoznikow & Quintana: Rock Shags and Imperial Cormorants leaving their nests at night 35

Cormorants at Caleta Malaspina have been previously shown to REFERENCES be bottom foragers feeding mainly upon small benthic and (F. Quintana unpubl. data). CROXALL, J.P., NAITO, Y., KATO, A., ROTHERY, P. & BRIGGS, D.R. 1991. Diving patterns and performance in the In our study there were only a few individuals showing nocturnal Antarctic Blue-eyed Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps. Journal of absences from the colony. The duration of these absences was Zoology, London 225: 177–199. similar to that of diurnal foraging trips and occurred mainly during JOHNSGARD, P.A. 1993. Cormorants, , and of illuminated nights. Our observations are the first indirect evi- the world. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. dences for nocturnal foraging in these species of cormorants. MARTIN, G.R. 1999. Eye structure and foraging in King Pen- However, future studies using light-level sensors and time-depth guins Aptenodytes patagonicus. Ibis 14: 444–450. recorders should be undertaken to address further this question. QUINTANA, F. 1999. Diving behavior of Rock Shags at a Patagonian colony of Argentina. Waterbirds 22: 466–471. QUINTANA, F. 2001. Foraging behaviour and feeding locations ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of Rock Shags Phalacrocorax magellanicus from a colony in Patagonia, Argentina. Ibis 143: 547–553. Research was founded by the Wildlife Conservation Society, VOSLAMBER, B., PLATTEEUW, M. & EERDEN, M.R. 1995. Ecocentro Puerto Madryn, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Solitary foraging in sand pits by breeding cormorants Phala- Científica y Tecnológica and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones crocorax carbo sinensis: does specialised knowledge about Científicas y Tecnológicas de la República Argentina. We thank fishing sites and fish behaviour pay off? Ardea 83: 213–222. Federico Morelli, Alejandro Gatto and Claudia Boy for their help WANLESS, S., FINNEY, S.K., HARRIS, M.P. & McCAFFERTY, in the field. We are grateful to Marcela Uhart for their comments D.J. 1999. Effect of the diel light cycle on the diving behav- on earlier versions of the manuscript. We also thank Organismo iour of two bottom feeding marine birds: the Blue-eyed Shag Provincial de Turismo for permits to work in the area and Centro Phalacrocorax atriceps and the P. aristotelis. Nacional Patagónico (Conicet) for institutional support. Marine Ecology Progress Series 188: 219–224.

Marine Ornithology 30: 34–35 (2002) 36

FIRST ATLANTIC RECORDS OF THE RED-FOOTED SULA SULA AND S. LEUCOGASTER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

B.M. DYER1 & Y. CHESSELET2

1Marine and Coastal Management, Private Bag X2, Roggebaai 8012, South Africa ([email protected]) 2Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, PO Box 394, Lüderitz, Namibia

Received 31 August 2000, accepted 18 April 2002

The Red-footed Booby Sula sula and the Brown Booby S. taken to the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of leucogaster occur in most tropical seas (Harrison 1983). Both Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) rescue station for treatment, but died species have been recorded previously in the southern African three days later. The corpse was then sent for necropsy to the region (Maclean 1993, Hockey et al. 1992, 1996). Three addi- Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Stellenbosch. Enterobacter coli tional records are reported here for the Red-footed Booby and one and other Enterobacteriae were identified but were considered (the third) for the Brown Booby in southern Africa, all from the unlikely to have caused death. The stomach was empty. The speci- Atlantic coast. men (the first for South Africa) is in the South African Museum (SAM ZO58494). Morphometric details are culmen 79.9 mm, tarsus 237.5 mm, wing 372 mm, and tail 192 mm. RED-FOOTED BOOBY The three records published here are the first for the Atlantic coast A white-morph Red-footed Booby was observed at Ichaboe Island of southern Africa although several records exist for the eastern (26°17'S, 14°56'E) by Y.C., c. 30 km north of Lüderitz, Namibia coast, all from Mozambique (Hockey et al. 1992, 1996). It would on 16 January 1990. It was found asleep on the sea-wall which be of interest in future reports for observers to record the colour surrounds the island. The most diagnostic feature was its bright morphs of the seen. red feet. In flight its looked worn and it had a white tail. A second white-morph Red-footed Booby was photographed by Y.C. at Mercury Island (25°43'S, 14°50'E), c. 60 km north of Lüderitz on 12 December 1994, perched on top of a rundown jetty. The nearest Atlantic Ocean breeding colony of Red-footed Boo- bies is at Ascension Island (7°55'S, 14°50'E) (Stonehouse 1960, Ashmole et al. 1994).

A juvenile Red-footed Booby was found alive at Observatory (33°57'S, 18°28'E), Cape Town, South Africa on 28 February 1993 (Fig. 1), some three kilometres from the nearest sea. It is the first record of the species ashore in South Africa. The booby was

Fig. 1. Red-footed Booby Sula sula, Observatory, South Africa, Fig. 2. Brown Booby Sula leucogaster, Mercury Island, 28 February 1992. (Photo: B. Greeff) Namibia, 12 January 1993. (Photo: Y. Chesselet)

Marine Ornithology 30: 36–37 (2002) Dyer & Chesselet: Records of the Red-footed Booby and Brown Booby in southern Africa 37

BROWN BOOBY REFERENCES

A juvenile Brown Booby was photographed by Y.C. at Mercury ASHMOLE, N.P., ASHMOLE, M.J. & SIMMONS, K.E.L. 1994. Island on 12 January 1993 (Fig. 2). It was seen at the edge of the conservation and feral cats on Ascension Island, South largest Cape Morus capensis colony on the island. It Atlantic. In: Nettleship, D.N., Burger, J. & Gochfeld, M. (Eds). remained in the area for two consecutive days, and was seen again Seabirds on islands – threats, case studies and action plans. on 16 January 1993. Its plumage differed from published accounts BirdLife International Series 1: 94–121. of juvenile Brown Boobies (Nelson 1978, Harrison 1983). There HARRISON, P. 1983. Seabirds of the world: an identification was a noticeable contrast in the shade of the brown showing as a guide. London: Croom Helm. line across the breast. The belly region was a paler brown than the HOCKEY, P.A.R. & the Rarities Committee 1992. Rare birds in upper region. The lighter brown on the belly presumably moults South Africa, 1989–1990. Seventh Report of the Rarities Com- into the white plumage of adults. The nearest breeding colonies mittee. Birding in South Africa 44(2): 38–44. of this species to southern Africa are at St Helena Island (15°75'S, HOCKEY, P.A.R. & the Rarities Committee 1996. Rare birds in 5°43'W) to the west in the Atlantic Ocean (Rowlands et al. 1998, South Africa, 1991–1995. Eighth Report of the Rarities Com- and the Seychelles (3°48'–6°35'S, 53°57'–57°10'E) to the east in mittee. Africa Birds and Birding 1(3): 64–68. the Indian Ocean (Harrison 1983). MACLEAN, G.L. 1993. Roberts’ birds of southern Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. A beached bird at Beira, Mozambique in 1954 and an observation NELSON, J.B. 1978. The . and boobies. Oxford: off Durban, South Africa in 1985 are the only previous records for Oxford University Press. southern Africa (Harrison 1983, Maclean 1993). The record pub- ROWLANDS, B.W., TRUEMAN, T., OLSEN, S.L., lished here is therefore the first southern African record for the McCOULLOUGH, M.N. & BROOKE, R.K. 1998. The birds species from the Atlantic coast. of St Helena Island. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union. STONEHOUSE, B. 1960. Wideawake Island. London: Hutchinson. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the late R.K. Brooke for commenting on an earlier draft of this note.

Marine Ornithology 30: 36–37 (2002) 38

VAGRANT BIRDS AT POSSESSION ISLAND, CROZET ISLANDS AND KERGUELEN ISLAND FROM DECEMBER 1995 TO DECEMBER 1997

MICHEL GAUTHIER-CLERC1, FRÉDÉRIC JIGUET2 & NICOLAS LAMBERT1

1Centre d’Ecologie et Physiologie Energétiques, C.N.R.S., 23 rue Becquerel, 67 087 Strasbourg cedex 2, France ([email protected]) 2C.R.B.P.O., Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue de Buffon, 75 005 Paris, France

Received 14 March 2002, accepted 6 May 2002

The Sub-Antarctic Crozet and Kerguelen Achipelagos are situated seen in flight on 28 September 1996 at Baie du Marin, Crozets. in the southern Indian Ocean, approximately 2500 km from Africa They tried to land on the beach among King Penguins but contin- and 1500 km from Antarctica. Observations of vagrant birds were ued to fly inland. Five birds were present from 29 October to 2 made on Possession Island (46°25'S, 51°45'E; 145 km2), Crozet November 1996, six from 20 to 30 November 1996, and five on Archipelago and on Grande Terre (48°35'S, 68°43'E; 7215 km2), 17 January 1997 at Baie Américaine. Three birds were observed Kerguelen Archipelago. We observed 10 vagrant species from on 14 November 1996 and seven on 21 January 1997 at La Hébé. December 1995 to December 1996 on Kerguelen and to Decem- The birds at Baie Américaine and La Hébé were probably of the ber 1997 on Crozet. same group.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus SPECIES LIST One adult in breeding plumage was present from 9–17 December Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1996 at Baie du Marin, Crozets (Fig. 3).

One adult, harassed by a Subantarctic Skua Catharacta antarctica, Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans landed in a King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus colony at Baie du Marin, Crozets, on 6 March 1997. A first-winter bird was seen on 5 November 1996 with Gulls L. dominicanus at Alfred Faure Station, Crozets. The plumage Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (Fig. 4) suggests a bird of the central Asian steppes forms (e.g. Baraba Gull L. (cachinnans) barabensis). Eleven individuals were observed at Pointe Charlotte, Kerguelen, on 4 February 1996. They were still present on 17 April 1996. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Twelve individuals in breeding plumage were seen from 25 to 27 April 1996 at the same locality. All these observations are thought One on 28 and two on 29 December 1995 in winter plumage to refer to the same group of birds (Fig. 1). Four individuals were rested on the coast with Kerguelen Terns S. virgata at Baie du present at the same locality on 18 November 1996. Marin, Crozets.

Sanderling Calidris alba Brown Noddy Anous stolidus

Nine individuals were observed at Pointe Charlotte, Kerguelen, on One was seen on 15 and 22 March 1996, one on 19 November 21 and 22 December 1995 (Fig. 2). They were still present on 4 1996, and one from 20–26 December 1996 in flight with February 1996. One individual was seen between Pointe Charlotte Kerguelen Terns. All were seen at Baie du Marin, Crozets. and Pointe Morne on 16 October 1996 and one at Pointe Charlotte on 18 November 1996. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Turnstone Arenaria interpres Singletons were observed from 20–30 April 1996 and on 23 May 1997 at Baie du Marin, Crozets. The latter bird died the follow- One individual was seen at Pointe de l’Etang, Kerguelen, on 4 ing day. Both birds roosted at night in sheds. February 1996 and one, probably the same bird, on 17 April 1996 at Pointe Charlotte. DISCUSSION Greenshank Tringa nebularia Eight of the ten vagrant species observed belong to the Palaearctic Seven Greenshanks were observed at Pointe Charlotte, Kerguelen, avifauna. Most birds were charadriid waders. They probably on 21 and 22 December 1995, and one was found dead south of arrived at the sub-Antarctic islands following tropical storms. To Cap Rouge, Kerguelen, on 2 February 1996. Two birds were seen our knowledge, the observation of a Yellow-legged Gull is the at Hallage des Naufragés, Kerguelen, on 3 November 1996, and first at a sub-Antarctic island in the Indian Ocean. A Terek Sand- three at Pointe Charlotte on 18 November 1996. Three birds were piper has been reported previously at the Prince Edward Islands

Marine Ornithology 30: 38–39 (2002) Gauthier-Clerc et al.: Vagrant birds at Possession Island, Crozet Islands and Kerguelen Island 39

Fig. 1. Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea at Pointe Charlotte, Fig. 2. Sanderlings Calidris alba at Pointe Charlotte, Kerguelen Island, April 1996. Kerguelen Island, December 1995.

Fig. 3. Adult Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus in breeding plumage Fig. 4. Immature Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans at at Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago, December 1996. Alfred Faure Station, Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago, November 1996.

(Berruti & Schramm 1981). The other species have been observed REFERENCES previously at the Crozet and Kerguelen Archipelagos (Prévost & Mougin 1970, Barrat 1974, Thomas 1983, Stahl et al. 1984, AUSILIO, E. & ZOTIER, R. 1989. Vagrant birds at Iles Ausilio & Zotier 1989). Cattle Egrets have been observed on Pos- Kerguelen, Southern Indian Ocean. Cormorant 17: 9–18. session Island during April 1982 (Stahl et al. 1984) and in 2000 BARRAT, A. 1974. Note sur les oiseaux visiteurs de l’île Crozet (S. Descamps pers. comm.). This species is also known to be com- (46°25'S, 51°45'E). Comité National Français des Recherches mon in the South Atlantic Ocean (Orgeira 1996) and at the Prince Antarctiques 33: 25–26. Edward Islands (Berruti & Schramm 1981). The most regular and BERRUTI, A. & SCHRAMM, M. 1981. More nonmarine vagrant numerous wader was the Greenshank, which has previously been birds at the Prince Edward Islands. Cormorant 9: 133–135. observed in 1971, 1979, 1980, 1988 and also in 2001 (Barrat ORGEIRA, J.L. 1996. Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis at sea in the 1974, Thomas 1983, Stahl et al. 1984, Ausilio & Zotier 1989, south Atlantic Ocean. Marine Ornithology 24: 57–58. pers. obs.). Arctic Terns have been previously observed in 1978 PRÉVOST, J. & MOUGIN, J-L. 1970. Guide des oiseaux et and 1979 (Stahl et al. 1984) and could be regular during the aus- mammifères des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises. tral summer when migrating to Antarctica. However, this species Neuchâtel: Delachaux & Niestlé. in winter plumage is often hard to differentiate from the local tern STAHL, J-C., WEIMERSKIRCH, H. & RIDOUX, V. 1984. species. Brown Noddies were observed each austral summer at Observations récentes d’oiseaux marins et terrestres visiteurs Possession Island from 1995 to 2001 (S. Descamps pers. comm., dans les iles Crozet, sud-ouest de l’Océan Indien. Le Gerfaut pers. obs.). Each observation was of a single bird. A previous 74: 39–46. observation of a Barn Swallow occurred on 12 May 1971 on Pos- THOMAS, T. 1983. Données récentes sur l’avifaune des Iles session Island (Barrat 1974). Our observations occurred at simi- Kerguelen (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises). lar dates, which correspond to the spring migration of the species. Oiseau 53: 133–141.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the Institut Français pour la Recherche et la Technologie Polaires for financial and logistical support.

Marine Ornithology 30: 38–39 (2002) 40

ROCKHOPPER EUDYPTES CHRYSOCOME CHRYSOCOME × MACARONI E. CHRYSOLOPHUS PENGUIN HYBRIDS APPARENTLY BREEDING IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

RICHARD W. WHITE1 & ANDREA P. CLAUSEN

Falklands Conservation, PO Box 26, Stanley, Falkland Islands ([email protected]) 1Current address: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, United Kingdom

Received 12 July 2001, accepted 19 June 2002

Two species of crested penguins, the nominate subspecies of the associating. Their general appearance can best be described as Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome and the intermediate between nominate Rockhopper and Macaroni Pen- Macaroni Penguin E. chrysolophus, breed at the Falkland Islands. guins. However, the birds showed individual variations broadly The Rockhopper Penguin population decreased by about 75% in categorized into two types, with the main difference being the the last century to its current level of 272 000 pairs (Clausen 2001) presence or absence of yellow crown feathers. It is not known but it still far outnumbers the Macaroni Penguin population of whether these differences are gender related. The Saunders bird about 50 pairs (Woods & Woods 1997). This frequently results in and the Beauchêne birds (Figs 1, 2 & 4) all exhibited yellow the presence of lone adult Macaroni Penguins in Rockhopper crown feathering. The Seal Bay and Port Stephens birds (Figs 3, Penguin colonies and mixed pairs have been observed on Kidney 5 & 6) lacked this feature. All birds were distinguished from nomi- Island in 1998/99 and 1999/2000 (pers. obs.). Presumed hybrid nate Rockhopper Penguins due to the presence of some or all of adult Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguins have also been reported the following characters: larger size, a prominent pink fleshy gape, in the Falkland Islands at Seal Bay (M. & S. Morrison pers. pink skin at the bill margins, a golden superciliary crest, shorter comm.) and on New Island (I. Strange pers. comm.) but never plumes behind the eye, limited yellow crown feathering, and a before described. This paper records the occurrence of at least six reduced occipital crest. apparent hybrid adults that were located in the Falkland Islands in the austral summers of 1999/00 and 2000/01. The birds were All the birds showed striking differences from both nominate typically paired with Rockhopper Penguins, and in two cases Rockhopper and Macaroni Penguins with which all observers appeared to be raising chicks. It is likely that higher than usual were familiar. The possibility that the birds were aberrant levels of fieldwork, including a census of all Rockhopper Penguin Rockhopper or Macaroni Penguins cannot be excluded, but seems colonies in the Falkland Islands in 2000/01 (Clausen 2001), unlikely. Some of the characters, such as the pink bill margins, are resulted in a greater likelihood of detecting these hybrids. exhibited by the Australasian subspecies of the Rockhopper Pen- guin E. c. filholi. The possibility that that the birds from Seal Bay During routine fieldwork around the Falkland Islands in 1999/ and Stephen’s Peak are filholi Rockhopper Penguins cannot be 2000, Falklands Conservation staff located three apparent hybrid completely ruled out. However, other features, such as the yellow penguins in Rockhopper Penguin colonies. Of two of these, seen crown feathering, are not a feature of this subspecies (Marchant at Seal Bay on 18 November 1999 (Clausen 2001), one was paired & Higgins 1990, Williams, 1995). Whether considering size, the with a Rockhopper Penguin and had one egg and one chick, and fleshy pink bill margin, the golden-yellow colour of the super- the second was also paired with a Rockhopper Penguin but could ciliary crest, or, perhaps most strikingly, the golden feathers in the not be accessed to identify its breeding status and was not re- crown, all these features can be considered indicative of Macaroni located on subsequent visits. The third, seen on Saunders Island Penguin parentage. on 15 January 2000 (Clausen 2001), was paired with a Rock- hopper Penguin and had a single chick. During the 2000/01 field These are the first records of assumed hybrid crested penguins season, Falklands Conservation staff located a further three appar- forming pairs and apparently breeding successfully. Breeding ent hybrid penguins in Rockhopper Penguin colonies. One bird at appears to have been successful in some cases, at least to the early Port Stephens seen in November 2000 was paired with a Rock- chick stage, although none of the hybrid birds was proven to be hopper Penguin but no eggs were present at the time of obser- a parent. DNA testing of the chicks might reveal their parentage vation. Two birds seen on Beauchêne Island in December 2000 and shed light on the apparent fertility of the hybrid birds. appeared to be non-breeders. All birds, except the second Seal Bay bird, were photographed (Figs 1–5). Subsequent enquiries re- Hybrid pairs of crested penguins have been recorded previously vealed that apparent hybrid adults had been recorded previously from a number of localities and for several species (Table 1). at Seal Bay, where a bird was photographed in 1996 (Fig. 6, M. Although relatively infrequent in occurrence, it seems that crested & S. Morrison pers. comm.) and on New Island (Woods & Woods penguins will readily form mixed-species pairs, sometimes even 1997). in the presence of conspecifics. There are as yet no records of suc- cessful breeding by mixed-species pairs, although the presence of All birds were quite distinctive in their appearance and easy to apparent hybrids is evidence that such pairings are, on occasion, distinguish from the Rockhopper Penguins with which they were successful (Hull & Wiltshire 1999).

Marine Ornithology 30: 40–42 (2002) White & Clausen: Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrids apparently breeding in the Falkland Islands 41

Fig. 1. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid with chick. Fleshy Fig. 2. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid. Fleshy gape and gape and yellow crown feathers. Saunders Island, January 2000. yellow crown feathers. Beauchêne Island, December 2000. (N. Huin) (S. Mahood)

Fig. 3. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid. Fleshy gape. Seal Fig. 4. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid. Fleshy gape and Bay, December 1999. (R.W.White) yellow crown feathers. Beauchêne Island, December 2000. (N. Huin)

Fig. 5. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid (right) with nomi- Fig. 6. Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrid (left) with nominate nate Rockhopper Penguin. Fleshy gape. Port Stephens, November Rockhopper Penguin. Fleshy gape. Seal Bay, October 1996. (M. & 2000. (R.W. White) S. Morrison)

Marine Ornithology 30: 40–42 (2002) 42 White & Clausen: Rockhopper × Macaroni Penguin hybrids apparently breeding in the Falkland Islands

TABLE 1

Locality and species composition of crested penguin Eudyptes spp. hybrid pairs

Locality Penguin species Source

Falkland Islands Rockhopper × Erect-crested E. sclateri Napier (1968) Falkland Islands Rockhopper × Macaroni pers. obs. (1999 & 2000) Campbell Island Erect-crested × Rockhopper P. Moore in Hull & Wiltshire (1999) Campbell Island Royal E. schlegeli × Rockhopper Hull & Wiltshire (1999) South Georgia Macaroni × Royal K. Reid pers. comm. Heard and Marion Islands Macaroni × Rockhopper Woehler & Gilbert (1990) Macquarie Island Royal × Rockhopper Hull & Wiltshire (1999)

Watcher 183: 95–100. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MARCHANT, S. & HIGGINS, P.J. (Eds) 1990. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds, Vol. 1A. Mel- We thank the numerous landowners in the Falkland Islands who bourne: Oxford University Press. allowed Falklands Conservation access to their land and penguin NAPIER, R.B. 1968. Erect-crested and Rockhopper Penguins colonies. Thanks are due to Nic Huin, Simon Mahood and Mike interbreeding in the Falkland Islands. British Antarctic Survey and Sue Morrison for information about their observations and Bulletin. 16: 71–72. their photographs. SIMPSON, K.N.G. 1985. A Rockhopper × Royal Penguin hybrid from Macquarie Island. Australian Bird Watcher 11: 35–45. WILLIAMS, T.D. 1995. The penguins. Oxford: Oxford Univer- REFERENCES sity Press. WOEHLER, E.J. & GILBERT, C.A. 1990. Hybrid Rockhopper- CLAUSEN, A.P. 2001. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2000/01. Macaroni Penguins, interbreeding and mixed species pairs at Falklands Conservation unpublished report. Heard and Marion Islands. Emu 90: 198–201. HULL, C.L. & WILTSHIRE, A. 1999. An apparent hybrid Royal WOODS, R.W. & WOODS, A. 1997. Atlas of breeding birds of × Rockhopper Penguin at Macquarie Island. Australian Bird the Falkland Islands. Oswestry: Antony Nelson.

Marine Ornithology 30: 40–42 (2002) 43

PSEUDO-EGGS OF BROWN SULA LEUCOGASTER AND BLUE-FOOTED S. NEBOUXII BOOBIES IN THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

ERIC MELLINK

Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Apartado Postal 2732, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico ([email protected])

Received 21 September 2001, accepted 24 July 2002

Pseudo-eggs, foreign round objects, notably eggs of other species One 1 March 2001 I examined 111 Brown Booby nests on Isla San or pebbles, are common in some ground-nesting species, and have Jorge. Nest contents were as follows: one egg, 63 nests; two eggs, been reported especially in larids (Sugden 1947, Twomey 1948, 28 ; three eggs, 1; one chick, 7; one chick and one egg, 7; one egg Coulter 1980, Conover 1985). As many as 10% of Ring-billed and one pseudo-egg, 1; one pseudo-egg, 1; two pseudo-eggs, 3. I Gull Larus delawarensis nests in Washington, USA included measured 50 real eggs: length was 52.6–70.0 mm (mean 59.82± pseudo-eggs (Conover 1985). The nests of some larids that usually 3.1 mm, s.d.) and width 38.0–43.0 mm (mean 41.1±1.36 mm). lay three eggs sometimes have a pebble and two eggs. Pebbles Seven of the nine pseudo-eggs were longer than the mean of real could be an important stimulus for incubation in gulls and terns eggs and wider than the widest real egg measured; five were (Coulter 1980). However, there is other evidence to suggest that longer than the longest egg measured (Table 1). By 1 May all nests pseudo-eggs are adopted because they are mistaken for real eggs with pseudo-eggs had been abandoned. (Conover 1985). Pseudo-eggs seem not to have been previously reported from sulids (Nelson 1978, and a literature search through The only nest with pseudo-eggs found on 8 January was tended Zoological Review). Here, I report on seven nests containing such by both a male and a female. The male was still tending the nest objects in the Gulf of California, Mexico. on 8 March (both adults were marked). Four of the nests with rocks were placed near the edge of the above mentioned flat, and Between 8 January and 8 March 2001 I discovered six Brown the other one below it, where pebbles were abundant. The nest Booby Sula leucogaster nests containing pseudo-eggs, on a flat containing the piece of guano was situated away from the edge. area of Isla San Jorge (31°01'N, 113°15'W), in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico (Table 1). Three nests contained two On Farallón de San Ignacio (25°26'N, 109°23'W), in the southern rounded rocks each; the others contained a large rounded rock, an Gulf of California, I examined 10 Brown Booby nests on 6 March irregular piece of rock, and an irregular piece of guano, respectively. 2001. They contained only real eggs. On this island I also exam- Except for the nest with the piece of guano, which also had one egg, ined 61 nests of Blue-footed Boobies S. nebouxii. One of those these nests did not contain eggs. On Isla Isabel, in the southern Gulf contained a single rock that was being ‘incubated’ by a male. The of California, in addition to rocks in nests, B. Contreras (pers. length of eleven Blue-footed Booby eggs in this colony was 56.3– comm.) witnessed a Brown Booby repeatedly pulling an escaping 69.0 mm (mean 62.69±4.22 mm, n = 11), and the width was 40.6– hermit crab into the nest. 44.4 (mean 42.51±1.22 mm). The pseudo-egg was thus almost

TABLE 1

Pseudo-eggs of Brown Boobies Sula leucogaster on Isla San Jorge and Blue-footed Boobies S. nebouxii on Farallón de San Ignacio, Gulf of California, Mexico, 2001

Nest Species Size of objects (mm) Overall shape, material, eggs 8 January 1 March 6 March 8 March

1 Brown Booby 77.0 × 49.5 × 23.2 Rounded pebbles, no eggs Active Active Active 78.8 × 55.7 × 29.0 2 Brown Booby 76.0 × 55.7 × 55.5 Rounded pebbles, no eggs Active Active 61.6 × 45.5 × 32.5 3 Brown Booby 77.5 × 48.5 × 38.6 Rounded pebbles, no eggs Active Active 61.3 × 56.6 × 52.2 4 Brown Booby 49.4 × 40.9 × 21.3 Very irregular rock, no eggs Active Deserted 5 Brown Booby 49.7 × 27.0 × 25.9 Irregular piece of guano, one egg Active Not checked 6 Brown Booby 83.9 × 51.1 × 37.1 Long pebble, no eggs Active 7 Blue-footed Booby 136.8 × 48.1 × 41.9 Very irregular rock, no eggs Active

Marine Ornithology 30: 43–44 (2002) 44 Mellink: Pseudo-eggs of Brown and Blue-footed Boobies in the Gulf of California, Mexico twice the length of the longest egg measured, but only slightly out of the nest. However, contrary to what has been observed for wider than the widest egg (Table 1). gulls, all but one booby nest with pseudo-eggs contained no real eggs. Hence, the adoption of pseudo-eggs may have caused a loss In no case was there any evidence or suspicion that the rocks had in reproductive output for the pairs involved. The benefits of such been put in the nest by anyone but the parent boobies. Few visitors retrieval behaviour must balance the gain in fitness through the landed on Isla San Jorge during the 2000/01 breeding season: local recovery of displaced eggs against the potential loss of fitness tourists to observe California Sea Lions Zalophus californicus and brought about by incubating infertile objects. the breeding seabirds, and sport fishermen for brief sanitary stops. Farallón de San Ignacio is visited occasionally by fishermen, but they rarely reach the area where the Blue-footed Boobies nest. The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS only known visitors to the colony during the 2000/01 booby breeding season were a group of biologists, who did not place the Carmelo Gil, César Barragán, Marco Antonio González-Bernal, rock in the Blue-footed Booby nest (M.A. González-Bernal pers. José Roberto Fong and Jesús Arreola assisted during field work. comm.). Beatriz Contreras kindly allowed me to use her unpublished observation. Tony Gaston provided substantial editorial assistance. Unlike pseudo-eggs in Ring-billed and California L. californicus Gulls that are similar in size and shape to real eggs (Conover 1985), most of those documented here were larger than eggs. REFERENCES Unlike gulls, boobies adopted not only rounded rocks, but also irregular objects. Rocks of the type used as pseudo-eggs were BENT, A.C. 1922. Life histories of North American petrels, peli- within reach of birds sitting on the nest (less than 15–20 cm) in cans and their allies. United States National Museum Bulletin the areas where pseudo-eggs were found on both islands. On Isla 121: 1–343. San Jorge, areas away from the plateau edge had fewer loose CONOVER, M.R. 1985. Foreign objects in bird nests. Auk 102: rocks. The nest containing the piece of guano had no rocks nearby, 696–700. but pieces of guano were within reach of the sitting bird. COULTER, M.C. 1980. Stones: an important incubation stimu- lus for gulls and terns. Auk 97: 898–899. Pseudo-egg adoption in these species seems rare: 2.7% and 1.6% NELSON, J.B. 1978. The Sulidae. Gannets and boobies. Oxford: for Brown and Blue-footed Boobies, respectively, in my samples. Oxford University Press. Moreover, one Brown Booby nest with two pseudo-eggs was SUDGEN, J.W. 1947. Exotic eggs in nests of California Gulls. incubated for over 60 days, and was long ‘overdue’, as normal Condor 49: 93–100. incubation lasts about 42 days (Tershy & Breese 2000). Not TERSHY, B.R. & CROLL, D.A. 2000. Parental investment, adult ceasing to incubate within the normal period could cause an over- sex ratios, and sexual selection in a socially monogamous representation of pseudo-eggs in the sample. seabird. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 48: 52–60. TWOMEY, A.C. 1948. California Gull and exotic eggs. Condor As in gulls (Conover 1985), it seems likely pseudo-egg adoption 50: 97–100. by boobies results from behaviour intended to recover eggs rolled

Marine Ornithology 30: 43–44 (2002) 45

FIRST SPECIMEN RECORD OF THE GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS DIOMEDEA CHRYSOSTOMA FOR NAMIBIA

F. PRAETSCH1 & D. BOYER2

1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, England, UK 2National Marine Information & Research Centre, Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources, PO Box 912, Swakopmund, Namibia ([email protected])

Received 23 April 1997, accepted 8 October 2002

The Grey-headed Albatross Diomedea chrysotoma breeds on sub- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Antarctic islands between 46° and 56°S, and on Diego Ramirez Island, . Sightings and recoveries suggest that the oceanic We thank the late P.A. Prince for confirming the identity and age distribution of the species is circumpolar, generally between 46° of the specimen. and 64°S during summer, and between 39° and 51°S during win- ter (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Grey-headed Albatrosses are rare visitors to the southern part of southern Africa (Ryan 1997). Off REFERENCES Namibia only three sightings, all of juveniles, in the months of May, August and November have been reported (Lambert 1968, KOMEN, J. & The Namibian Unusual Bird Sightings Committee. Williams 1987, Komen et al. 1988, Lambert 2001). Most birds in 1988. Namibia unusual bird sightings report for 1988. southern African waters are immatures (Ryan 1997). Lanioturdus 14 (1/2): 21–28. LAMBERT, K. 1968. Ornithologische Beobachtungen auf See On 20 November 1993 the fresh carcass of an adult Grey-headed vor der Südwestlichen Küste Afrikas. Mitteilungen Ornitho- Albatross was found at 22°29'S, 14°28'E on the beach 20 km north logische Arbeitsgruppe Süd-West Afrika Wissenschaftlichen of Swakopmund, Namibia (Figs 1 & 2). The only obvious injury Gesellschaft 4 (6–7): 5–6. was a broken neck. LAMBERT, K. 2001. Sightings of new and rarely reported seabirds in southern African waters. Marine Ornithology 29: This record represents the first specimen record of a Grey-headed 115–118. Albatross (and the first record of an adult bird) and the fourth MARCHANT, S. & HIGGINS, P.J. (Eds). 1990. Handbook of documented occurrence of the spe- Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Vol. 1, Part A. cies for Namibia. The frozen carcass Melbourne: Oxford University Press. pp. 311–322. is stored at the State Museum, RYAN, P.G. 1997. Greyheaded Albatrosses Diomedea chryso- Windhoek (accession number NM stoma. In: Harrison, J.A., Allan, D.G., Underhill, L.G., Herre- 4383). mans, M., Tree, A.J., Parker, V. & Brown, C.J. (Eds). The atlas of southern African birds. Vol. 1: Non-passerines. Johannes- burg: Birdlife South Africa. p. 756. Fig. 1. Head and bill of the adult Grey- WILLIAMS, A.J. 1987. Pelagic seabirds inshore off the southern headed Albatross Diomedea chrysos- Namib coast November 1985 – August 1986. Lanioturdus 23: toma found in Namibia. 51–56.

Fig. 2. Underwing pattern of the adult Grey-headed AlbatrossDiomedea chrysostoma found in Namibia.

Marine Ornithology 30: 45 (2002) 46

INFLUENCE OF DATE AND BODY MASS AT FLEDGING ON LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF SOOTY TERNS STERNA FUSCATA

CHRIS J. FEARE

Department of Pure and Applied Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK and WildWings Bird Management, 2 North View Cottages, Grayswood Common, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2DN, UK (address to be used for correspondence) ([email protected])

Received 4 April 2002, accepted 25 October 2002

The Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata is a pan-tropical seabird that nests whereas the mean fledging mass of birds that were recaptured was typically on isolated oceanic islands. Sooty Terns nest always on 191.5±5.7 g , n = 12 (t804 = 1.14, P = 0.26). For the 1973 cohort the ground, generally amongst sparse herb vegetation and often the mean mass of chicks ringed but not found was 178.9±1.4 g, in large dense colonies, sometimes numbering hundreds of thou- n = 313, whereas the fledging mass of birds that were recaptured sands of pairs (Gochfeld & Burger 1996, Schreiber at al. 2002). was 188.3±6.2 g, n = 8 (t319 = 1.48, P = 0.18). In most colonies, laying is highly synchronised; e.g. on Bird Island, Seychelles, in 1973, 90% of eggs in a colony estimated at The sample of chicks ringed, but not weighed, in August–October 395 000 pairs were laid in a nine-day period early in the laying 1973 was broken down into four 15-day periods for analysis; this season (Feare 1976) although the remaining eggs were laid over division was used in to provide adequate numbers (n > 5) of an approximate six-week period. In that study, time of laying the sub-sample of these birds recaptured in 1994–2002 in a con- appeared to be critical in terms of fledging success. Eggs laid dur- tingency table. The proportions of birds recaptured from each ing peak laying produced more chicks of fledging age, and chicks period differed from the pattern of ringing in these periods χ2 that were heavier at fledging and which fledged earlier, than chicks ( 3 = 11.7, P = 0.009). Paired comparisons between the time from later eggs. Despite being perhaps the world’s most numerous periods of ringing indicated that significantly more birds were tropical seabird (Schreiber et al. 2002), few aspects of its life his- recaptured from the 12–26 September cohort than from the first tory have been quantified (Hamer et al. 2001). Here, I analyse data and last cohorts (Table 1). from birds ringed as chicks on Bird Island, Seychelles in 1972– 1973 and recaptured during searches for ringed birds in 1994– In the two , 1972 and 1973, for which samples of ringed 2001, in order to examine the relationship between long-term sur- Sooty Terns were available, subsequent recaptures of birds vival and (1) body mass at fledging, and (2) date of fledging. between 22 and 29 years later indicated that body mass at fledg- ing did not influence post-fledging survival. On the other hand, In August–October 1972 and 1973, chicks on the point of fledg- the ringed birds recaptured in 1994–2002 suggested that birds that ing were ringed with monel rings in the colony on Bird Island, fledged in the middle of the fledging period in 1973 survived Seychelles (4°53'S, 55°12'E). In 1972, between 30 August and 20 better than those that fledged earlier or later (Table 1). September a cohort of 806 chicks on the point of fledging was ringed and weighed to the nearest g using a 300-g Pesola balance. These findings supplement the pre-fledging survival information In 1973 a similar cohort, of 321 chicks, was ringed and weighed reported by Feare (1976), where in 1973 more chicks fledged from between 13 August and 3 September. In addition, in 1973, 4430 eggs laid at the peak of laying in the colony, which occurred very chicks on the point of fledging were ringed, but not weighed, early during the laying season, and chicks that fledged early in the between 13 August and 11 October. Chicks were considered to be season did so at a greater body mass and in a shorter time than did on the point of fledging on the basis of their plumage. Feare (1976) birds that fledged later. Higher survival of peak-season eggs and described stage of plumage development in chicks and the birds chicks was attributed to reduced and to reduced aggres- ringed for this study were ‘short tail’ or ‘tail forked’. At these sion/interference between neighbours that were all at the same stages they had attained their asymptotic body mass and were stage of the breeding cycle. These factors would not apply once acquiring flight capability. the birds had left the colony.

Each from 1994 to 2002, ringed Sooty Terns have been The greater body mass and early fledging of peak-season chicks searched for on Bird Island during incubation by teams of two to was at least partly due to these birds experiencing better feeding four people who walked slowly through the colony. Ringed birds conditions than did later-fledged birds in 1973, as was demon- were caught using hand nets and ring numbers were recorded strated by seasonal variations in growth rates (Feare 1976). Parents (Feare & Lesperance 2002). Recaptures during the 1990s and early may have been more efficient when foraging at times when most 2000s show that the rings used have not deteriorated during the other adults from the colony were also foraging, benefiting from course of this study, indicating that no birds would have lost rings. local enhancement (Feare 1981).

The fledging masses of birds that were recaptured in 1994–2002 Little is known about the life of juvenile Sooty Terns in the did not differ significantly from the masses of chicks that were not months after fledging or in the 4–10 years before they return to the found. For the birds ringed in 1972, the mean mass of chicks colony to breed (Harrington 1974, Schreiber et al. 2002, C.J. Feare ringed but not found was 183.3±0.9 g (standard error), n = 794, unpubl. data). They leave the colony, probably with only one

Marine Ornithology 30: 46–47 (2002) Feare: Influence of date and mass at fledging on long-term survival of Sooty Terns 47

TABLE 1

The re-sighting of Sooty Tern fledglings in their natal colony from four cohorts ringed at different stages of the fledging period on Bird Island, Seychelles, in 1973. Significant differences: pairs of rows sharing the same letters indicate χ2 tests showing P < 0.05

Dates ringed No. ringed No. recaptured Proportion recaptured Significant differences

13–27 August 3136 45 0.014 a 28 August–11 September 341 8 0.023 12–26 September 457 15 0.033 a,b 27 September–11 October 443 3 0.007 b

parent (Schreiber et al. 2002), and the duration of parental care is to successive Directors of Conservation and Conservation unknown. During this time they are sometimes fed, in the air, by Officers, initially Nirmal Jivan Shah and John Collie, and latterly the parent (Feare 1975) and must learn to feed themselves. On John Nevill and Selby Remie. Many people have assisted with leaving the colony, Sooty Tern fledglings are gull-like, with ringing and ring searches: Marinette Assary, John Collie, Christine shorter wings and tails than adults, and they are also very different Feare, Simon Feare, Elaine Gill, Edwina Greig, Anna Maria Maul, in colour. Their flight is less powerful and agile and they may feed Elvina Henriette, Georges, Margaret, Laurence and Phillip Norah, in a different way from their parents (Feare 1975), but recently- Serge Robert, Marie-France Savy, Joel Souyave and Susi fledged juveniles do not appear to have been seen feeding. At sea, Stabinger. I am grateful to all of these people and to the British the problems facing juveniles are food location and procurement, Trust for Ornithology for allowing the use of their rings. Keith kleptoparasitism by Fregata spp., predation by birds Hamer kindly commented on a draft and Alan Burger and Betty- (e.g. skuas Catharacta spp.) and predatory fish (Feare 1976), and Anne Schreiber made valuable comments during review. storms. Without knowing how and where juvenile Sooty Terns from the Seychelles feed, it is not possible to speculate how their survival might be influenced in ways that produced the observed REFERENCES pattern of survival. Steinen & Brenninkmeijer (2002), however, reported that body-condition factors involved in pre-fledging FEARE, C.J. 1975. Post-fledging parental care in Crested and mortality of Sandwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis similarly had no Sooty Terns. Condor 77: 368–370. influence on post-fledging survival. They attributed the absence FEARE, C.J. 1976. The breeding of the Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata of a post-fledging effect of earlier poor growth to the parents’ in the Seychelles and the effects of experimental removal of its ability to take juveniles to rich food supplies, enabling these eggs. Journal of Zoology, London 179: 317–360. juveniles to overcome potential earlier disadvantages. FEARE, C.J. 1981. Breeding schedules and feeding strategies of Seychelles seabirds. Ostrich 52: 179–85. Few studies of seabirds have been sufficiently long term to deter- FEARE, C.J. & LESPERANCE, C. 2002. Intra- and inter-colony mine the effects of chick condition at fledging on post-fledging movements of breeding adult Sooty Terns in Seychelles. survival. Steinen & Brenninkmeijer (2002) reviewed seven such Waterbirds 25: 52–55. studies and concluded that species with post-fledging parental care GOCHFELD, M. & BURGER, J. 1996. Family Sternidae (Terns). showed no relationship between these parameters, whereas chick In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (Eds). Handbook of body condition did influence subsequent survival in species in birds of the world, Vol. 3. Hoatzin to auks. Barcelona: Lynx which parents did not care for young after fledging. This study of Edicions. pp. 624–667. Sooty Terns supports Steinen & Brenninkmeijer’s (2002) hypoth- HAMER, K.C., SCHREIBER, E.A. & BURGER, J. 2001. Breed- esis that parental provisioning after fledging buffers juveniles ing biology, life histories, and life history–environment inter- against growth disadvantages that they experienced prior to leav- actions in seabirds. In: Schreiber, E.A. & Burger, J. (Eds). ing their colonies. Biology of marine birds. Boca Raton: CRC Press. pp. 217–261. HARRINGTON, B.A. 1974. Colony visitation behavior and breeding ages of Sooty Terns (Sterna fuscata). Bird-Banding ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 45: 115–144. SCHREIBER, E.A., FEARE, C.J., HARRINGTON, B., The ringing of Sooty Terns in the 1970s was supported by a MURRAY, B., ROBERTSON, W.B., ROBERTSON, B. & NERC grant to the late Prof. George Dunnet, University of WOOLFENDEN, G.E. 2002. Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata. In: Aberdeen. Since 1993 this study has been funded at various stages Poole, A. & Gill, F. (Eds). The birds of North America, No. by the Division of Environment (Government of Seychelles), the 666. Philadelphia: The Birds of North America. Royal Society, The Percy Sladen Memorial Fund, The Seabird STEINEN, E.W.M. & BRENNINKMEIJER, A. 2002. Variation Group, Prof. J. Steinbacher and WildWings Bird Management. in growth in Sandwich Tern chicks Sterna sandvicensis and the Bird Island Lodge has provided facilities without which these consequences for pre- and post-fledging mortality. Ibis 144: studies could not have been undertaken and I thank all of these 567–576. sponsors. For logistical arrangements in Seychelles I am grateful

Marine Ornithology 30: 46–47 (2002) 48

THE SCIENTIFIC NAME OF THE INDIAN YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS THALASSARCHE CARTERI

C.J.R. ROBERTSON

PO Box 12397, Wellington, New Zealand ([email protected])

Received 22 October 2002, accepted 4 December 2002

Peter’s checklist of the birds of the world (Mayr & Cottrell 1979) plumage of various specimens. The tonal differences caused by lists only Diomedea chlororhynchos Gmelin 1789 (based on age and feather wear can create confusion as they correctly re- Latham, 1785, and locality Cape of Good Hope) for all the Yellow- ported. Among small albatrosses (mollymawks) the principal nosed Albatross breeding locations and provided no synonyms. defining factor for determination of taxa is the configuration of the However, two taxa had previously been described, long regarded bill plates, especially at the proximal (skull) end. All fledged as representing a subspecies of D. chlororhynchos, distinct from juveniles show the shape and skin relationships at the proximal the nominate race. The first was Thalassogeron carteri Rothschild end of the culmen plate which is retained throughout life, irrespec- 1903 from Point Cloates, North-west Australia, whilst the second tive of changes in bill colouration as they age. Good published was Diomedea bassi Mathews 1912 (Mathews, 1912a) from East examples of such shape differences between taxa can be found in Australia. Godman (1910) illustrates chlororhynchos and carteri Murphy (1936, p. 493) and Serventy et al. (1971, p. 69). noting that the specimen of chlororhynchos was no longer avail- able, and that (having viewed the type), carteri might not be adult. Brooke et al. (1980) notes that ‘. . . the shape of the yellow stripe Mathews (1912b) provided illustrations and a discussion for both on the culmen also varies geographically. In the Indian Ocean . . . bassi and carteri, while Hartert (1926) discussed carteri and the yellow stripe is pointed whereas in the Atlantic Ocean it is remarked that it had not been recognised as a juvenile when de- rounded’. They illustrate this with two black and white photos scribed. However, Mathews (1912b) had tentatively reached that from breeding localities. Tickell (2000, plates 6 & 7) gives col- conclusion in his discussion. our illustrations which demonstrate the same features. However, these authors concentrate on the shape of the yellow stripe at the Like many of the early taxonomic descriptions for albatross taxa, proximal end of the culmen, which is a feature found only in adult this brief summary illustrates the principal factors which bedevil or close to adult birds. This colour feature is of no use in juvenile the acceptable naming of some taxa today – namely the absence birds. Further, the illustrations in Brooke et al. (1980) and Tickell of a type specimen (chlororhynchos); type localities which are not (2000) do not show that the proximal end of the culmen of both breeding sites, and a past lack of knowledge of plumage variation taxa is yellow with a variable proximal margin of black. Murphy according to age. (1936, p. 493) illustrates for a chlororhynchos specimen (AMNH 132536) that the culmen plate widens above the nostrils and that Brooke et al. (1980) set out to clarify the problem of origin and there is a black proximal margin round the yellow. naming for Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, based principally on the

a b c

Fig. 1. Sketch drawings of the dorsal proximal end of the bills of Yellow-nosed (mollymawks) Albatrosses: a. Thalassarche chlororhynchos (AMNH 132936). b. Thalassarche bassi (Type AMNH 527047). c. Thalassarche carteri (Type AMNH 527048).

Marine Ornithology 30: 48–49 (2002) Robertson: Scientific name of the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri 49

Brooke et al. (1980) note that carteri is based on an immature determination over the synonym Thalassarche (Diomedea) bassi specimen – white headed and with a purely black bill (AMNH Mathews, 1912. 527048) and ‘. . . lacking the subspecific characters only patent in adults must be regarded as subspecifically indeterminate’. It is not clear from their text whether they viewed the types of carteri, or ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS bassi (AMNH 527047), but I suspect not, as they refer to Mr John Farrand (in litt.) for a plumage description of the bassi specimen. I thank the many museums and curators who have given me access Having rejected carteri on the basis of its immature state, they to nearly 60 collections over the past 38 years and especially in took into use Diomedea chlororhynchos bassi as the name for this instance the Museum of New Zealand, the American Museum birds breeding in the Indian Ocean. of Natural History, the Smithsonian, the British Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, the Peabody Museum and the I viewed the type specimens of both bassi and carteri at the Durban Museum of Natural History. Thanks also to Lance Tickell American Museum of Natural History, New York on 1 Septem- for asking for a justification of a name revision; to John Cooper ber 1982 and again in January 1988. I noted that both have a who provided the opportunity to present the reasons and two narrow non-thickened proximal end to the culmen plate above the anonymous referees whose suggestions improved the presen- nostrils, and that both had white heads, with a small black eyebrow tation. for the bassi, and only a trace of black in front of the eye for the juvenile carteri. REFERENCES The definitive difference in the proximal end of the culmen be- tween chlororhynchos and bassi/carteri is the broadening of the BROOKE, R.K., SINCLAIR, J.C. & BERRUTI, A. 1980. Geo- plate above the nostrils in chlororhynchos. The shape of the prox- graphical variation in Diomedea chlororhynchos (Aves: imal end of the adult yellow culmen stripe is not always consist- Diomedeidae). Durban Museum Novitates 12: 171–180. ently rounded in chlororhynchos and pointed in bassi/carteri, as GODMAN, F. du C. 1910. A monograph of the petrels. London: I have seen two specimens in museums at Durban, South Africa Witherby. and Edinburgh, Scotland (collected from breeding sites at Gough HARTERT, E. 1926. Types of birds in the Tring Museum. and Tristan Islands), where the yellow stripe proximal end is Novitates Zoologicae 33: 345–346. pointed rather than rounded. However, in both of these cases the LATHAM, J. 1785. A general synopsis of birds. Vol. iii, pt. i. culmen plate broadens above the nostrils. London: Leigh & Sotheby. MARCHANT, S. & HIGGINS, P.J. (Eds). 1990. Handbook of My sketches in Figure 1 illustrate the differences at the proximal Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic birds. Vol. 1. Melbourne: end of the culmen plate between chlororhynchos, bassi and Oxford University Press. carteri. Marchant & Higgins (1990) comprehensively present the MATHEWS, G.M. 1912a. A reference-list to the birds of Aus- situation illustrated as follows: ‘. . . Culminicorn of Indian Ocean tralia. Novitates Zoologicae 18: 171–455. birds tapers behind nares, and pointed at base; naricorn has MATHEWS, G.M. 1912b. Birds of Australia, Vol. 2. London: straight sides. In S. Atlantic birds, culminicorn broadens behind H.F. & G. Witherby. nares, and has rounded base; naricorn has convex sides’. MAYR, E. & COTTRELL, G.W. (Eds). 1979. Peter’s checklist of the birds of the world. Vol. 1. 2nd edition. Cambridge, USA: So, what should the Indian Ocean taxon of the Yellow-nosed Museum of Comparative Zoology. Albatross be called? Both type specimens are male and with the MURPHY, R.C. 1936. Oceanic birds of South America. New exception of the tail are almost identical in size (bassi/carteri York: Macmillan. length culmen plate 112 mm/110 mm; length culmen plate plus NUNN, G.B., COOPER, J., JOUVENTIN, P., ROBERTSON, skin to feathers at base of bill 114/114; wing 470/465; tail 185/ C.J.R. & ROBERTSON, G. 1996. Evolutionary relationships 163; and tarsus 78/75). Given the explanations above regarding among extant albatrosses (: Diomedeidae) my inspections of the type specimens, both belong to the same established from complete cytochrome-b sequences. Auk 113: taxon. 784–801. ROBERTSON, C.J.R. & NUNN, G.B. 1998. Towards a new tax- Nunn et al. (1996) re-established Thalassarche for the small onomy for albatrosses. In: Robertson, G. & Gales, R. (Eds). albatrosses (mollymawks) in the southern hemisphere and this Albatross biology and conservation. Chipping Norton: Surrey seems to have been widely accepted. Robertson & Nunn (1998) Beatty & Sons. pp. 13–19. reviewed the of albatrosses and made suggestions ROTHSCHILD, L.W. 1903. On a new species of albatross from towards a discussion on taxa already morphologically distinguish- NW Australia. Bulletin of the British Ornithogists’ Club 14: 6. able, with the assistance of DNA as an additional tool. Based on SERVENTY, D.L., SERVENTY, D. & WARHAM, J. 1971. The the determinations listed above, the scientific name used for the handbook of Australian seabirds. Sydney: Reed. Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding in the Indian Ocean was TICKELL, W.L.N. 2000. Albatrosses. Sussex: Pica Press. carteri, which followed Turbott (1990). TURBOTT, E.G. (Convenor). 1990. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 3rd edition. Thus, Thalassarche (Thalassogeron) carteri Rothschild, 1903 Auckland: Random Century. according to the rules of nomenclature takes precedence by prior

Marine Ornithology 30: 48–49 (2002) 50

FIRST RECORD OF THE MORUS CAPENSIS FOR PERU AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN

IGNACIO GARCÍA-GODOS

Área de Aves y Mamíferos Marinos, Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Apdo. 22, Callao, Perú ([email protected])

Received 29 October 2002, accepted 7 December 2002

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is an endemic seabird to south- ern Africa, breeding on offshore islands off Namibia and South Africa (Harrison 1985). After breeding, dispersal takes place as far as Mozambique, rarely Tanzania, on the east coast of Africa, and to the Gulf of Guinea on the west (Harrison 1985). However, vagrant birds have been reported in Victoria, Australia (Venn 1982) and on the Atlantic coast of South America, in the Argentinean Patagonia and the (Bergkamp 1995, Ramírez 1996) at the southern tip of South America.

On 22 July 1999, during the course of fieldwork at Macabí Island (07°48'S, 79°30'W) in northern Peru, Mariano Valverde photo- graphed a strange sulid for the region. It was flying alone around the island for a short time but was not observed to land. The bird was later identified from the photograph (Fig. 1) as an adult Cape Gannet by its yellow head and nape, long gular stripe and its dark primary, secondary and tail feathers (Harrison 1985). This is the Fig. 1. The Cape Gannet Morus capensis at Macabí Island, Peru. first record of the Cape Gannet in Peruvian waters and for the Pacific Ocean.

Macabí is an eight-hectare island, nine kilometres offshore, sur- REFERENCES rounded by the cold–upwelling waters of the Peruvian Current and supports large numbers of guano birds. Average sea surface tem- BERGKAMP, P.Y. 1995. First record of Cape Gannet Sula perature around the island during the observation was 15.8°C, be- capensis for Argentina. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ low the long-term average for the locality (Moron & Crispin 1999). Club 115: 71. It is probable that the El Niño of 1997/98 could have influenced HARRISON, P. 1985. Seabirds. An identification guide. Revised the dispersal of this vagrant bird in some way, although its exact Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. route remains unknown. MORON, A. & CRISPIN, A. 1999. Temperatura y salinidad du- rante la prospeccion pesquera de reclutamiento de recursos pelágicos. LP IMARPE V 9906. Inf. Inst. Mar Perú 149: 75– ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 78. RAMIREZ, L.P. 1996. Sula capensis in the Beagle Channel. I thank Mariano Valverde for taking the picture, Robert Crawford Hornero 14: 67–68. for confirming the identification and Carlos Zavalaga and Elisa VENN, D.R. 1982. The Cape Gannet (Sula capensis), a new Goya for their useful comments. record for Australia. Victorian Naturalist 99: 56–58.

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